8 Articles Breastfeeding (& Pumping) Moms Need to Read

Most new moms I’ve met who hope to breastfeed have one thing in common: They’re nervous.

They’ve heard it was difficult. They saw a friend or relative struggle. They aren’t confident they can do it. Maybe they tried once before and didn’t meet their goals.

As scary as all these feelings are, they’re normal. In fact, I would even go so far as to say they’re good. When worry motivates us to be proactive, it can be a good thing!

If you’re a mom looking for resources to get your breastfeeding journey on track, you’ve come to the right place!

When I was struggling to breastfeed, these articles were the most helpful ones I came across. They answered my most pressing questions and gave me confidence when my resolve was faltering.

You might notice that some of the advice in these articles goes against something your pediatrician may have told you. Unfortunately, most pediatricians are NOT educated in lactation and have very fragmented infant nutrition training. The following articles are written by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants. These professionals have received the highest level credential in their field, so their knowledge is trustworthy! An IBCLC can assist with your unique lactation needs, so if you have special circumstances or specific questions, reach out to an IBCLC in your area for help!

LOW MILK SUPPLY 101

Do you think you might have low milk supply? Did your mom, sister, or friend deal with supply issues? The idea of not making enough milk can be a frightening one, especially for new moms who don’t have many breastfeeding friends or family members to look to for guidance.

The good news is, the vast majority of mothers are physically capable of producing enough milk for their babies! Many “signs” of low supply aren’t actually reliable indicators of true supply issues, and many actual supply problems are instead created by well-meaning–but ill-informed–people providing new moms with bad advice.

You can learn more about the true indicators of low supply in this article here: Low Milk Supply 101 by Emma Pickett, IBCLC

A breast milk “stash” is nice, but it is definitely not necessary to breastfeed successfully, even if you go back to work!

A FREE RESOURCE BY MOM MAKES JOY

FEEDING SCHEDULE? NO THANKS.

Remember that “bad advice” I just told you about? This is a prime example of it.

Did you know feeding your baby according to a set schedule can actually be more harmful than helpful? Breastfed babies are best fed on demand in order to maintain milk supply. These two articles explain the importance of this very well:

“Experts” who recommend feeding baby on a parent-directed schedule with the goal of increasing the amount of time between feeds have been strongly critiqued by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Parent-directed feeding is, unfortunately, not an evidence-based practice and can easily result in low milk supply issues.

Nursing on demand, even at night, helps regulate your milk supply.

PUMPING MOM?

When you see moms post pictures in your mom group of the two eight ounce bottles they pumped that morning, it can be a little disheartening–particularly if you’re only getting, at best, 3-4 ounces.

It’s important to have realistic expectations when it comes to pumping output. You can learn more about what these should be here: How Much Milk Should You Expect to Pump by Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA

BOTTLE FEEDING?

Bottle feeding has become a norm in our culture, so it may surprise you to know that relatively few people know the proper way to bottle feed a breastfed baby.

Allowing baby to guzzle a bottle at will increase the likelihood that they are being overfed, and very young babies will continue to suck and swallow even when they’ve eaten enough because it is a reflex until about 4 months of age. Furthermore, it can make a breastfed baby become accustomed to–and prefer–the fast flow of milk from a bottle.

If your baby will be fed bottles of pumped milk, make sure you and baby’s caregiver is familiar with paced feeding!

GALACTO-WHAT?

If you believe you might be dealing with low supply, you might be tempted to try things like teas, oatmeal, or brewers yeast to boost your supply. Although moms swear by these remedies (called “galactogogues”), they may not be the best first line of defense against low milk supply issues.

Not only is there very little research to indicate galactogogues are effective, but some herbal remedies (like fenugreek) actually decrease supply in some women!

The truth is, the BEST way to increase and maintain milk supply is frequent and thorough expression of milk from the breasts. According to Kellymom, “To speed milk production and increase overall milk supply, the key is to remove more milk from the breast and to do this frequently, so that less milk accumulates in the breast between feedings.”

So don’t stress out about which lactation cookie recipe is the best. Chances are, cookies aren’t the answer!

ALL TIED UP

If you’re having latch issues or problems with reflux, a tongue tie may be the hidden culprit.

Tongue ties are notoriously difficult to diagnose, since many providers (including pediatricians, pediatric dentists, and ENTs) are not properly trained to evaluate for them–even if they tell you they are.

In fact, tongue ties are so often misunderstood, that I dedicated an entire blog post to them, which you can check out here. In case you don’t believe me, this article explains some of the basics:

Which articles did you find the most helpful in your breastfeeding journey?

Love,
Gabby

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